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Consumption

A term most generally used when referring to fuel consumption.

Contact

One of the current carrying parts of a relay , switch or connector that engages or disengages to open or close the associated electrical circuit.

Contact Area

The area of a member that comes into contact with another member, such as a belt to a pulley, or a tire to the ground.

Contact Patch

The area of contact of a tire with the road surface when the tire is supporting the vehicle weight.

Contact Patch

A tire's footprint on the ground. The larger the contact patch, the more control the vehicle (and hence the driver) has when accelerating, stopping and turning. The size of the contact patch depends on the tire's width, as well as the tire's design and its inflation pressure.

Contact Points

A term often used for contact area or breaker points

Container Tube

A shock-absorber component that is used to house the internal parts.

Contaminants

1. Chemicals or impurities in oil or fuel that reduces its effectiveness and efficiency, such as water, carbon, acids, dust, and dirt particles. 2. Chemicals or impurities that make ambient air impure, especially those produced from the combustion process.

Contaminated

A term used when referring to a system that is known to contain foreign substances, such as incompatible or hazardous materials.

Contingency Money

A payment made by accessory and equipment manufacturers to top rated drivers, and some crew members, for using and/or displaying their products in a race.

Continuity

The ease or ability of an electrical circuit or component to transfer energy from one point to another. A continuous electrical path.

Continuous Code

A series of computer diagnostic codes that relate to engine-control functions.

Continuous Combustion

The constant combustion of an air/fuel mixture.

Continuous Duty

A demand on an energy-consuming system that requires operation, at a constant load, for an indefinite period of time.

Continuous Fuel Injection (CFI)

A type of fuel-injection system that continuously sprays a stream of fuel into the engine.

Continuous Variable Transmission (CTV)

A stepless transmission that uses a sheave clutch to transmit engine torque.

Continuous Weld

A weld that extends continuously from one end of a joint to the other.

Continuous-injection System (CIS)

A continuous-flow, mechanically controlled, fuel-injection system.

Continuous-injection System-electronic (CIS-E)

A continuous-flow, electronically controlled, fuel- system. injection.

Control Arm

The main link between the vehicle frame and the wheels that acts as a hinge to allow the wheels to go up and down independently of the chassis.